Here’s something important I learned in the last two years: There can be a difference between art you like to look at and art you like to create. This seems obvious and simple. But it isn’t. At least it wasn’t for me. For the longest time, I’d look at layouts or art journal pages I loved and try to recreate them.
But then I’d hate my version.
And I could never understand why. It happened enough times that I just gave up trying to emulate anyone else’s art. I started to think I just wasn’t good at creating and I should walk away. Everyone can’t be good at everything and maybe art just wasn’t my thing. I was quite frustrated and pretty ready to give up.
Until I walked away from others’ art and just spent some time creating my own (a lot of it!) I didn’t realize what was wrong. The art I was emulating wasn’t what came naturally to me so I wasn’t doing a good job of creating my own version. It just didn’t feel right. And neither did the end result. Once I gave my head and heart some space from everything I was looking at, I was able to slowly find my own way. And now that I am more comfortable with my own voice, I can look at these pieces of art and clearly see that they’re just not the way I create.
That doesn’t mean I don’t like looking at them, however.
I enjoy a variety of art (and sketching, scrapping, etc.) Many things appeal to me visually. But what I like to LOOK AT is not the same as what I like to CREATE. That differentiation is crucial. For me, it meant the difference between giving up art forever and creating art every single day.
Huge difference.
Now that I’ve learned this, here are a few things I like to do:
1. Take a break from looking and focus on doing: I take breaks from looking at anyone’s art or scrapping and just spend time creating my own art. I’ll do daily sketching, or layouts for a month so I can really dive in and find my way or explore my own ideas or my supplies. Just for me. Not to copy something I liked or recreate an idea. I do it again and again and again until the ideas get bigger and deeper and the art becomes mine.
2. Dive deeper and pay attention to why I find something appealing: Often times, when there’s a piece of art or a layout that I love, I try to take a step back so I can figure out exactly what I like about it. Sometimes it’s the color combination, other times it’s the size of the images, or the size of the page. It can be about the sentiment and nothing about the design. Taking a step back and digging deeper allows me to see what part really speaks to me so I can emulate that instead of the whole page. It allows me to take things I’m inspired by and incorporate them into my own way of creating art.
3. Remember that enjoying looking doesn’t mean I will enjoy creating: Another one that seems simple but I’ve learned that awareness is super-important and not to be taken for granted. Being aware that this particular piece of art speaks to me visually but isn’t one I’d like to create allows me to not even attempt to emulate it. This way I can truly enjoy the art and never move into the realm of self-disappointment. I love looking at all sorts of backgrounds but I only create layouts with white backgrounds. It’s what I do. There’s nothing wrong with what others do and there are many layouts that appeal to me but do not have a white background. I just put them in a category of “love to look at” and leave them be.
So, if you’re where I was and finding yourself unable to create the art you admire in others, just remember that there’s a difference and maybe you’re working too hard to create something that doesn’t work for you.
Maybe it’s time to enjoy others’ ideas and then create your own.
Thank you! I learned this the hard way. Spent hours creating images that I loved to look at but didn’t have the skills or know the techniques to make them similar. Spent hours upon hours doing MY thing and there it was a voice that spoke to me, allowed me to create what I was comfortable with.
Hi Karen,
Great post. The overwhelming array of artistic choice can sometimes mess with my head. And I understand that feeling of disconnect between what I am looking at (created by someone else) and what I create. Particuarly with point number 2 about what it is – that little something – that attracts me to a piece. The other day I saw something in one of the Stampington mags and fell for it instantly, but it wasn’t in a style that I thought I would ever make. I realised later that the attraction was because of the shape of the piece at first glance – it reminded me of something I had made in a woodwork class when I was a kid, and it brought back those happy times… interesting how that was the thing that attracted me to this particular piece of art!
Loved reading your post. So true! So important to remain true to one’s own style!
I think this is true, however, I still kick myself for not taking your class last year about how you arrived at your scrapping style. Because your’s is a style that I really really love to look at and would like to recreate 🙂 Will you ever be offering it again?
Thank you for this post. I have been struggling lately with some art I’ve created and feeling really vulnerable about sharing it, but you made me remember that the whole reason I wanted to start this particular cycle of projects was because how soothing I found it to work on them, not because I was invested in the reactions the finish product might receive. Thank you for the gentle kick in the pants.
I am realizing this now, what I collect for inspiration and pin is not what comes out of me at all. I was so frustrated, trying to make my LOs or art journaling like the pieces I love, but now I am just going with the process and assume I will find my individual style. I am going to have to come back to this post when I get frustrated again.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for voicing this, I thought it was just me!
I had my moment last year–I LOVE delicate flowers and fancy flourishes-like Prima flowers, and Nic Howard layouts. I took a class offered at BPC that Nic Howard was doing,and I realized I adore her scrapping style and her teaching style, but my accounting mind won’t let go of certain leanings when I’m creating, and as much as I love looking at that style, I’m not comfortable creating it, and I don’t feel as if I ever will be. And I realized that it’s totally ok. It really surprised me though! It’s funny even to me when I try to do “random” stamping, or random placement of elements. It’s such an internal struggle for me not to make rows, or balance things out so that my accounting side is satisfied. I think I would like what I create so much more if I could resolve that particular struggle, but I’m working on it!
I hope you had good Valentines day. Have a good rest of the week.
Things are good in my world, just crazy busy with work!
Pat
Thank you Karen!NOW I understand!and NOW I´m going to start creating in my own way.
Great post Karen, this is so true and I try hard to find my own voice. Thanks for this gentle reminder!!